Brown Girl Vegan

Author: ramyaramesh3007

  • Cumin & Cranberry Pulao (Rice)

    Cumin & Cranberry Pulao (Rice)

    Infused with Indian spices, dried cranberries and raisins, this holiday inspired pulao is the perfect side dish to serve at a gathering.

    Inspired by the sweet Kashmiri Pulao, this cumin & cranberry pulao is perfect for the holiday season to serve as a side dish or even one of the main dishes. It’s versatile enough to go with everything at the table without any strong flavours but also simple and delicious. It’s kids friendly too!

    Kashmiri Pulao is a traditional staple in Kashmiri cuisine but this dish is quite different. We only incorporate dry cranberries and raisins. If you fancy any toppings, you can always top with some parsley, cilantro and pomegranate for a wider variety of flavours.

    What Do I Need to Make This?

    • long-grain basmati rice – traditionally, we always use basmati rice in pulao for the texture!
    • whole spices – bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves are a must in most biryanis or pulaos
    • cumin & fennel seeds – roasting these spices adds so much flavour
    • dried cranberries – main star of the dish as it adds a faint sweetness and sourness
    • golden raisins – adds a subtle sweetness
    Print Recipe

    Cumin and Cranberry Pulao

    Infused with Indian spices, dried cranberries and raisins, this holiday inspired pulao is the perfect side dish to serve at a gathering.
    Prep Time5 minutes
    Cook Time25 minutes
    Total Time30 minutes
    Course: Main Course, Side Dish
    Cuisine: Fusion, Indian
    Servings: 4

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups basmati rice
    • 3.5 cups water
    • 2 tbsp olive oil
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 1 cinnamon
    • 5 cloves
    • 5 cardamom
    • 2 tsp cumin seeds
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric
    • 1 tbsp garam masala
    • 3 tbsp cranberries
    • 3 tbsp raisins

    Instructions

    • Rinse rice 3-5 times until the water runs clear. Drain and keep aside.
    • Add oil to a pressure cooker. Add whole spices and roast them. Then add cumin seeds and roast them until they are fragrant (make sure they don't burn!)
    • Add washed rice, turmeric, garam masala, salt and saute to combine and roast.
    • Add water, cranberries and raisins and close the lid – pressure cook for about 10 minutes and leave it in the steam for 15 minutes.
    • Mix the rice well and top with more cranberries and golden raisins. Enjoy!

  • Parmesan Crusted Brussel Sprouts

    Parmesan Crusted Brussel Sprouts

    This is an easy, vegan version of the TikTok viral crispy parmesan potatoes – the perfect one-pan side dish for the holiday season with Brussel Sprouts instead!

    These crispy parmesan potatoes can be made vegan in a hot minute with the right seasonings and cooking method of potatoes. They are absolutely crunchy, delicious and addictive.

    Here are my tips on how you can master this dish for your holiday dinner:

    Parboil your Brussel Sprouts

    Parboiling your vegetable allows them to get crispy on the outside. If you skip this step, chances are that the outside skin remains rough and you won’t get that crunchiness. 

    Use the right seasonings

    To get the same cheesy and strong flavour of these viral brussel sprouts, you need to include these ingredients:

    • Nutritional yeast – for the cheesy flavour. Also packs in some B12 if you’re vegan or vegetarian!
    • Vinegar or lemon juice – for acidity
    • Olive oil – use a generous amount for maximum crisp
    • Herbs – italian seasoning, thyme and rosemary work great with potatoes
    • Spices – onion & garlic powder, and chili flakes (optional)

    You can substitute the nutritional yeast for vegan parmesan substitute or shredded vegan cheese as well.

    How do I get that crispy layer?

    The secret to getting that crispy ‘parmesan’ looking layer is corn starch! It’s a gluten free alternative to plain flour and it gives a beautiful crisp layer. I brushed some on top of the potatoes as well for them to crisp up.

    This recipe is also 100% gluten free!

    Print Recipe

    Parmesan Crusted Brussel Sprouts

    This is an easy, vegan version of the TikTok viral crispy parmesan potatoes – the perfect one-pan side dish for the holiday season with Brussel Sprouts instead!
    Prep Time10 minutes
    Cook Time25 minutes
    Total Time35 minutes
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: Fusion
    Keyword: brussel sprouts, tiktok
    Servings: 4

    Ingredients

    • 12-14 brussel sprouts
    • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
    • 2 tsp corn starch
    • 1 tbsp vinegar sub lemon juice
    • 3-6 tbsp olive oil
    • 1 tsp dried thyme
    • 1 tsp dried rosemary
    • 1/2 tsp chili flakes sub 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
    • 1 tsp onion powder
    • 1 tsp garlic powder
    • 1/4 tsp black pepper
    • salt

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 200°C. Cut the sprouts into half.
    • Boil a pot of water and add some salt. Once the water comes to a boil (bubbling), add the brussell sprouts. Cook for 5-7 minutes until they are parboiled.
    • Drain the sprouts and wait for them to cool down.
    • Meanwhile, make the sauce to roast them. Combine all the spices in a bowl and mix well with a splash of water to loosen the mixture.
    • Pour the mixture into a baking tray, saving some to brush the upper layer of potatoes. Line the sprouts, facing down.
    • Brush them with remaining sauce.
    • Roast in oven for about 15 to 20 minutes. After 15 minutes, keep monitoring to check if you see the crisp forming. You can also broil for 5 minutes if required. It's very easy to burn them so keeping an eye out always helps!
    • Take out of the oven and let it cool for 5-10 minutes. Enjoy immediately!
  • Orange Honey Baked Tofu Ham

    Orange Honey Baked Tofu Ham

    This vegan “honey” baked tofu ham is infused with fresh orange juice, festive spices & a maple glaze for the perfect centrepiece during your holiday meal.

    Don’t eat meat? Try this vegan centrepiece (or even as a side) for melt-in-your-mouth sweet and spicy flavours. Eat meat? You can still include this at your dinner table as the perfect tofu dish.

    This juicy and succulent baked tofu ham is crispy and sticky on the edges, making it the perfect dish to be on your Christmas dinner table. Simple ingredients and an easy three-step process makes this tofu recipe very easy and convenient to prepare – the spiced maple glaze is just OUT of this world!

    Easy 3-step process

    Marinate: Marinating is key to infusing the flavours into tofu. Tofu itself is a neutral vessel of an ingredient that sometimes can have a strong “soy” flavour. In my experience, the more fresh the tofu, the lesser of that taste and the more soft and juicy it is too. Store bought tofu blocks work just as fine but I would suggest getting those with less preservatives and added ingredients other than non-GMO soy beans if you can.

    I marinated this tofu for 5 hours and it was already packed with flavour so it is phenomenal if you marinate this overnight. The fresh flavours infuse perfectly.

    Bake: Baking is the best way to infuse those flavours even further and to get that brown, crispy edges without it getting too messy. You also can choose not to any oil (just cover with an aluminium foil when baking instead). I just drizzled some olive oil and baked it for about 20 minutes.

    Glaze: The glaze is the most important step for this recipe as it provides a nice coating for the tofu and adding an additional layer of sweetness. I’ve balanced out the sweetness with some spice by using ground cloves but you can use fresh ones to infuse the flavours as well.

    What Do I Need?

    • extra firm tofu – extra firm tofu works best for this recipe. You’re not required to freeze the tofu but do remember to drain the excess water.
    • fresh orange juice – juiced fresh from an orange
    • soy sauce – we need the saltiness to infuse the flavours fully into the tofu block
    • chili paste – I used harissa paste but you can also use chili flakes
    • ground cloves – to spice up the glaze
    • maple syrup & coconut sugar – the main condiments of the glaze
    • vegan butter – this is optional, you can also substitute it with oil
    Print Recipe

    Orange Honey Baked Tofu Ham

    This vegan "honey" baked tofu ham is infused with fresh orange juice, festive spices & a maple glaze for the perfect centrepiece during your holiday meal.
    Prep Time3 hours
    Cook Time45 minutes
    3 hours
    Total Time45 minutes
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Fusion
    Keyword: christmas
    Servings: 2

    Ingredients

    • 1 block tofu (200g)
    • 1/3 cup orange juice
    • 1/4 cup light soy sauce
    • 2 tbsp harissa paste sub 2 tsp chili flakes
    • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
    • 3 tbsp maple syrup
    • 1 tbsp coconut sugar
    • 2 tbsp dairy-free butter

    Instructions

    • Drain excess water from your tofu and score it like how you would do ham, in a criss cross pattern.
    • Combine your marinade ingredients: soy sauce, orange juice and harissa paste in a container.
    • Place your tofu in the container and spoon over the marinade so it's completely coated in the sauce. Refrigerate for 3 hours to overnight.
    • When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 180C.
    • Place the tofu on a baking tray and spoon over some sauce over the tofu to fully coat it. Bake for 20 minutes.
    • Prepare the glaze by adding vegan butter, coconut sugar, maple syrup and ground cloves to a pan. Mix until well combined and the mixture thickens.
    • Take out from the oven, and immediately brush the glaze on the tofu. Grill or broil for 5-15 minutes depending on the strength of your oven. Save some glaze for the final touch.
    • Take out from the oven, and brush more glaze on the tofu. Serve with orange slices and herbs. Slice and enjoy!

  • Vegan Potato & Leek Soup

    Vegan Potato & Leek Soup

    Nothing hits like a creamy, hearty potato & leek soup during chilly days – topped with spiced crispy chickpeas and chives for the ultimate soup-erb soup!

    Leek is not a common ingredient in my pantry, but every time I use it I think about why it’s not! Leeks are underrated and have amazing nutritional benefits. They are are high in iron and vitamins while helping to improve digestion. They subtle sweet flavour is what draws me to them as they are not as pungent as they counterpart cousins like onions and garlic.

    Leeks paired with potatoes in soup form is debated to be either a French or Irish classic. After reading up, it was interesting to learn that potatoes were majorly hyped in France (late 18th century onwards) – thanks to Antoine-Augustin Parmentier who was a huge advocate of potatoes as a food source. This subsequently led to surge in potato recipes becoming widespread in the 19th century.

    This easy recipe incorporates just a few ingredients but what makes this a little unique is the crispy topper – spiced crispy chickpeas. It’s one of my favourite ways to prepare chickpeas other than hummus but I may be a little biased because I love chickpeas in all forms.

    What Do I Need?

    This recipe is simple and gluten free. With a short ingredient list and a quick preparation time, you can make this soup easily during chilly days.

    • leeks – you can use both the white and green parts for this recipe
    • potatoes – yukon or russets potatoes work really well!
    • vegetable stock cubes – to add flavour. I always try to use organic ones!
    • herbs – thyme and bay leaves (fresh thyme is great but dried thyme works too)
    • plant milk – to add some creaminess I like to add soy milk! But any plant milk works, even coconut if you want extra creaminess and fattiness
    • garnish – olive oil and chives (+ crispy chickpeas)
    Print Recipe

    Vegan Potato & Leek Soup

    Nothing hits like a creamy, hearty potato & leek soup during chilly days – topped with spiced crispy chickpeas and chives for the ultimate soup-erb soup!
    Prep Time5 minutes
    Cook Time25 minutes
    Total Time30 minutes
    Course: Appetizer, Soup
    Cuisine: Fusion
    Keyword: soup
    Servings: 4

    Ingredients

    • 1 tbsp vegan butter
    • 2 large leeks
    • 3 cloves garlic
    • 2-3 medium potatoes
    • 3 cups water
    • 2 cubes vegetable stock
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 1 tsp dried thyme (sub 2 sprigs fresh thyme)
    • 1/2 tsp salt if needed
    • 1/4 tsp black pepper
    • 1 cup soy milk
    • chivea garnish

    Spiced Crispy Chickpeas

    • 1 can chickpeas
    • 1 tsp garlic powder
    • 1 tsp onion powder
    • 2 tsp smoked paprika
    • 1/4 tsp turmeric
    • 1 tsp dried herbs
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1/4 tsp black pepper
    • 1-2 tbsp olive oil

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 200C.
    • Drain and rinse your chickpeas from the can. Add them onto a baking tray, add your seasonings and coat the chickpeas evenly.
    • Bake chickpeas for about 15-17 minutes until they are crispy, tossing them halfway.
    • Chop the ends of the leeks (there might be dirt stuck between the layers) and chop them nicely.
    • Peel potatoes and dice them into cubes. Smash the cloves of garlic with a knife.
    • To a pot, add vegan butter. Once it melts, add the leeks and saute for a few minutes. Add garlic and saute for a minute more.
    • Add your potatoes, 3 cups of water (2 cups if you want a thicker soup) and add your seasonings – vegetable stock cube, thyme, black pepper and salt (if needed).
    • Boil for 10 minutes until potatoes are fork tender.
    • Add in your soy milk and mix well. Use an immersion blender and blend the soup until smooth.
    • Top the soup with crispy chickpeas, olive oil and chives. Serve!
  • 15-min Spicy Mushroom Noodles

    15-min Spicy Mushroom Noodles

    These knife shaved noodles coated in a spicy soy sauce and infused with spiced shitake mushrooms for the ultimate under-30 minute dinner.

    This quick & easy mushroom noodles are tossed in an incredibly spicy and flavourful sauce, and can be made in just 15 minutes! We’ve topped it with some scallions and toasted sesame seeds for extra crunch and flavour. I make these at least once a week because they are that good!

    I have used these thick and flat Taiwanese sliced noodles found at a local grocery stores in my area – they are made with just wheat flour, water and salt. So no need for instant ramen when you have this healthy noodles! It can also be prepared in just 5 minutes in boiling water.

    These cut of noodles help to soak up all the flavours from the sauce and when boiled according to instructions, you’ll get a chewy texture that makes it even more delectable!

    What Do I Need?

    Here’s a list of the ingredients you would need for this recipe – I personally LOVE that it uses mostly pantry friendly ingredients that you can use basically for many of my other noodle recipes.

    • chili flakes – I use gochugaru for the bright red colour but you can also use normal chili flakes. Be sure to add a lesser amount if you don’t want it to be too hot!
    • sichuan pepper – I love the numbing flavour it adds to the noodle sauce.
    • 5-spices – makes the sauce so so fragrant!
    • sesame oil – non-negotiable, sesame oil makes any noodle dish super tasty.
    • soy sauces – light soy sauce for umaminess and dark soy sauce for colour.
    • sweetener – you can use any type of sweetener but I use agave or maple syrup in most of my recipes.
    • vegan oyster sauce – this is a mushroom based sauce that adds MAJOR umaminess to the dish
    • shitake mushrooms – I chopped them up finely and added it to the sauce to add flavour of mushrooms in every bite!

    This recipe can be made gluten free if you use any gluten free noodles like rice or brown rice noodles. You can also use gluten free pasta! Remember to ensure your soy sauces and vegan oyster sauce are gluten free.

    Print Recipe

    15-min Spicy Mushroom Noodles

    These knife shaved noodles coated in a spicy soy sauce and infused with spiced shitake mushrooms for the ultimate under-30 minute dinner.
    Prep Time10 minutes
    Cook Time5 minutes
    Total Time15 minutes
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Chinese, Fusion
    Keyword: noodles
    Servings: 2

    Ingredients

    • 2 tbsp gochugaru
    • 2 tsp sichuan pepper
    • 1 tsp 5-spice powder
    • 2 tbsp sesame oil
    • 4-5 shitake mushrooms
    • 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce
    • 1/2 tsp 5-spice powder
    • 1 tbsp vegan oyster sauce
    • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
    • 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
    • 1 tsp agave syrup
    • 2 cakes knife shaved noodles
    • noodle water

    Garnish

    • toasted sesame seeds
    • chili oil
    • chopped scallions

    Instructions

    • Dice shitake mushrooms into small pieces and cook them with 1/2 tbsp soy sauce and 1/2 tsp 5-spice powder until fully cooked on a pan.
    • To a bowl, add gochugaru, 5-spice powder and sichuan pepper.
    • Heat up sesame oil but make sure the oil doesn't burn. Pour this hot oil over the dry spices.
    • Add light and dark soy sauce, veg oyster sauce, agave syrup and cooked shitake mushrooms. Give the sauce a good mix.
    • Cook knife shaved noodles according to package instructions. Drain noodles and keep the starchy noodle water.
    • Add noodles into the sauce and 1/4 cup noodle water. Toss and combine until the sauce coats all the noodles.
    • Garnish with toasted sesame seeds, chili oil and scallions. Enjoy!
  • 15-min Vegan Egg Drop Soup

    15-min Vegan Egg Drop Soup

    With a delicious combination of hearts of palm & beancurd skin, this simple & classic vegan egg drop soup is warming and comforting for the soul.

    “Egg Drop” soup is a hawker favourite and staple and traditionally it’s prepared by dropping a raw egg into the soup (obviously) but we’re making a vegan version with my favourite substitute: beancurd skin.

    If you’re allergic to soy, you can also use hearts of palm. I find that using a mixture of both not only elevates the taste but also makes the soup have varying textures and hence, more hearty to slurp through!

    This recipe only takes 15 minutes tops, and makes the most delicious appetizer. You can elevate this soup by having it with rice and some chili oil.

    What You Need

    • dried beancurd – I like to rehydrate dried beancurd for a nice, stringy egg like texture. It’s so tasty too!
    • hearts of palm – shredding hearts of palm with a fork is another way to get that flaky or stringy texture that we’re looking to replicate in the soup.
    • broth – using a good vegetable stock flavours the broth really well!
    • spices – white pepper, ginger and garlic powders for flavour and turmeric for that yellow colour
    Print Recipe

    15-min Vegan Egg Drop Soup

    With a combination of delicious hearts of palm & beancurd skin, this simple & classic vegan egg drop soup is warming and comforting for the soul.
    Prep Time5 minutes
    Cook Time10 minutes
    Total Time15 minutes
    Course: Appetizer, Soup
    Cuisine: Chinese
    Keyword: soup
    Servings: 4

    Ingredients

    • 1 sheet dried beancurd
    • 2 sticks hearts of palm
    • 4 cups water
    • 1 cube vegetable stock
    • 3/4 tsp black salt
    • 1/4 tsp white pepper
    • 1/2 tsp agave syrup
    • 1 tsp garlic powder
    • 1 tsp ginger powder
    • 3 tbsp corn starch mixed with 1/3 cup water
    • 1/4 tsp turmeric
    • 1 scallion garnish

    Instructions

    • Soak the dried beancurd sheet in hot water for 5 minutes until soft. Slice into thin pieces. Shred the heats of palm in the mean time.
    • Add some water to a pot and add in vegetable stock and salt. Mix well and bring to a boil.
    • Add in beancurd sheet and hearts of palm. Add in all spices – white pepper, garlic powder, ginger powder, agave syrup and turmeric.
    • Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Add in corn starch slurry and simmer for another 5 minutes.
    • Garnish with chopped scallions!
  • Vegan Tom Kha (Thai Coconut Soup)

    Vegan Tom Kha (Thai Coconut Soup)

    The flavour and creaminess of Tom Kha, a tangy thai soup, comes from a coconut broth infused with fresh herbs & topped with scallop mushrooms.

    Tom Yum Soup is a staple in my kitchen, but Tom Kha has been a recent favourite – its creaminess from coconut milk and flavour from fresh spices like lemongrass, galangal & kaffir lime leaves has been a hame changer. Often this soup comes with chicken or seafood so to mimic that we will be using king oyster mushrooms to make our vegan scallops.

    Tom kha gai, which is how it’s most commonly referred to (gai means chicken), is one of the most popular soups in Thailand. I have tried it myself several times and it never disappoints. Tom refers to the “heat” while kha is referring to galangal. Ultimately, this broth is flavoured with rice and fresh spices that make this dish extremely versatile and easy to veganise without compromising on flavour!

    What You Need

    • spices – lemongrass whole, galangal and kaffir lime leaves
    • coconut milk – you can use full fat coconut milk or coconut cream
    • vegetable stock – optional, but adds a lot of extra flavour! You can also substitute this with mushroom seasoning or 1 tbsp vegan oyster sauce.
    • soft, silken tofu – this works better in this recipe than extra firm tofu
    • bird’s eye chillies
    • vegan fish sauce – an easy substitute if you don’t have this would be light soy sauce
    • kaffir lime leaves

    This recipe is naturally 100% gluten free (check if your vegetable stock, soy sauce or vegan fish sauce is gluten free).

    Print Recipe

    Vegan Tom Kha

    The flavour and creaminess of Tom Kha, a tangy thai soup, comes from a coconut broth infused with fresh herbs & topped with scallop mushrooms.
    Prep Time10 minutes
    Cook Time10 minutes
    Total Time20 minutes
    Course: Appetizer, Soup
    Cuisine: Thai
    Keyword: soup, thai recipes
    Servings: 2

    Ingredients

    • 2 king oyster mushrooms
    • 10 slices galangal thumb size
    • 3 lemongrass
    • 6 kaffir lime leaves
    • 150 g silken tofu
    • 1 tbsp neutral oil
    • 1 cube vegetable stock
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 2 cups water
    • 200 ml coconut milk
    • 2 bird's eye chillies
    • 1 tbsp vegan fish sauce

    Garnish

    • 1/2 lime
    • sliced chillies
    • scallions
    • coriander
    • chili oil

    Instructions

    • Slice the king oyster mushrooms into round shapes and slit them criss-cross to mimic scallops. Cut silken tofu into cubes.
    • Cut the stalks of the lemongrass and smash them with your knife. Slice galangal for better infusion of flavours.
    • To a pan, heat some oil. Add galangal and lemongrass. Saute for a few minutes until fragrant.
    • Add in your oyster mushrooms (if not you can also pan fry them first before adding). And saute until they are fully cooked and lightly browned.
    • Add in water, veggie stock cube, salt and mix well. Add in your silken tofu and bring to a boil.
    • Add in coconut milk and red chillies (slit them if you want more spice). Finish with some vegan fish sauce or light soy sauce.
    • Squeeze juice from half a lime. Serve and garnish with spring onions, coriander, chillies and chili oil. Enjoy!
  • Marry Me Pasta with Crispy Tofu

    Marry Me Pasta with Crispy Tofu

    This pasta dish based on the viral ‘Marry Me Chicken’ will actually make people want to marry you – and paired with a spicy, crispy tofu, get ready for your wedding.

    This viral Marry Me Pasta is super creamy, juicy, and full of flavour! It’s that pasta dish that everyone would love and takes just half an hour to make it. It’s very similar in looks as Tuscan Chicken with the spices used and the creamy element but doesn’t use as much tanginess as the latter.

    You absolutely don’t need any meat to make this – only plant based ingredients for maximum flavour! I love making pasta recipes like this for my family and friends as it’s so versatile and easy to make. It also doesn’t skimp on the flavours from the sun dried tomatoes and fresh basil.

    A marriage proposal in sight? I would think so with this delicious vegan pasta recipe. To dig in, here are the ingredients you would need:

    • pasta: you can use any type of pasta! I used fusilli to soak up all the flavours in between the twirls.
    • garlic: I used fresh garlic cloves but you can also use garlic powder. If you don’t consume onion and garlic, a pinch of hing makes the biggest difference.
    • spices: smoked paprika and cayenne pepper really elevate the colour and flavour of the dish! You can also add some dried herbs.
    • tomato paste: also for that bright red colour
    • sun-dried tomatoes: the heart of this dish! The sourness and aroma of sundried tomatoes are unmatched.
    • cream: coconut cream is the easiest, most widely available substitute but you can also use soy or rice cream. You could even use vegan cream cheese!
    • basil: really adds to the flavour and aroma of the dish.
    Print Recipe

    Marry Me Pasta with Crispy Tofu

    This pasta dish based on the viral 'Marry Me Chicken' will actually make people want to marry you – and paired with a spicy, crispy tofu, get ready for your wedding.
    Prep Time15 minutes
    Cook Time15 minutes
    Total Time30 minutes
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Fusion
    Keyword: pasta, pasta recipes, tofu
    Servings: 2

    Ingredients

    Marry Me Pasta

    • 2 cups dry pasta
    • 1.5 tbsp olive oil
    • 2 garlic cloves
    • 1/2 cup sundried tomatoes chopped
    • 1 tbsp smoked paprika
    • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
    • 2 tbsp tomato paste
    • 1 tsp onion powder
    • 1 tsp dried herbs
    • 4 tbsp coconut cream
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1/2 tsp black pepper
    • 15 g fresh basil
    • 1/2-3/4 cup pasta water

    Marry Me Tofu

    • 1 block extra firm tofu 200g
    • 1 tsp garlic powder
    • 1 tsp onion powder
    • 1 tbsp smoked paprika
    • pinch cayenne pepper
    • salt
    • black pepper
    • 3 tbsp corn starch

    Instructions

    • Add corn starch, spices and herbs on a plate. Mix them well. Slice tofu into 2 square cutlets and coat them in the corn starch evenly.
    • Heat some neutral oil on a pan and pan fry until golden and crispy on both sides.
    • Cook pasta accordingly to package instructions until al dente. Drain pasta and keep excess water aside.
    • To a large pan, add olive oil. Add sliced garlic and sundried tomatoes. Saute them until the garlic turns slightly brown.
    • Then add tomato paste, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, onion powder, herbs and mix well.
    • Add coconut cream, some paste water and mix well. Add salt and black pepper to taste.
    • Add rest of the pasta water and add in your paste. Chop up some basil and mix in the paste until it wilts.
    • If the paste is too thick, add an additional tbsp of coconut cream or more pasta water.
      Serve with Marry Me Tofu and sprinkle of chopped basil. Enjoy!

  • Vegan Horchata

    Vegan Horchata

    This creamy and refreshing spiced mexican drink is made from scratch with rice, almonds and cinnamon that will leave you wanting for more!

    Horchata is a rice based cold beverage that’s cooling and refreshing for hot summer temperatures. It can still be enjoyed all year round if you’re craving something creamy, sweet and spiced. There are different types of Horchata: for example, the Spanish version uses tiger nuts while Puerto Rico uses white, grounded sesame seeds.

    When made fresh with rice and raw almonds, the drink comes together beautifully and adding fresh spices like cinnamon do remind me of the festive season. It’s like making a nut milk with added flavours from natural ingredients from scratch at home!

    What You Need

    • long grain rice – this was convenient because I always have long grain basmati rice at home.
    • almonds – soaking raw almonds together with the rice makes the blending process easier and add an incredible aroma (basically fresh almond milk!)
    • cinnamon sticks – you can use ground cinnamon but the flavours from fresh cinnamon stick is unmatched!
    • plant milk – you can use almond milk or anything other plant milk. I used oat milk to add to the richness and creaminess.
    • condensed milk – this is optional, but I wanted to add some thickness and sweetness by using coconut condensed milk.
    • vanilla bean paste – for extra flavour
    • sweetener – if the drink needs a sweetener because you’re not using condensed milk, you can try adding maple syrup or agave syrup. Both work perfectly!

    Tips to make a smooth Horchata

    1. Soak for long

    Soak rice, almonds and nuts in water overnight so it’s easier to blend – discard the water after soaking them as they may contain not-so-nice stuff for the body (you can look it up!)

    2. Strain with a cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer

    The last thing we want when drinking a Horchata is to be engulfed in raw rice grain bits and spices that were not fully strained. Remember to strain the mixture after blending with a cheesecloth or nut milk bag to get the milk and pulp as separately as possible.

    3. Blend multiple times, if required

    If there is a lot of pulp, I would suggest adding the pulp back into the blender and adding a cup of water to blend and drain more milk again. Milk it as much as possible!

    Print Recipe

    Vegan Horchata

    This creamy and refreshing spiced mexican drink is made from scratch with rice, almonds and cinnamon that will leave you wanting for more!
    Cook Time1 hour
    Total Time1 hour
    Course: Drinks
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Keyword: drinks, horchata
    Servings: 6

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup long grain rice
    • 1/2 cup almonds
    • 2 cinnamon sticks
    • 2 cups hot water
    • 2 cups oat milk or any plant milk
    • 2/3 cup condensed coconut milk
    • 1/4 tsp vanilla bean paste
    • ground cinnamon

    Instructions

    • Wash rice and drain. Soak rice, almonds and cinnamon stick in 2-3 cups of water overnight.
    • Drain excess water and add rice, almonds, few pieces of broken cinnamon sticks and 2 cups of hot water to a high speed blender.
    • Blend on high for 2 minutes. Strain with a cheesecloth. If there is a lot of pulp remaining, toss in the blender and add a cup of water. Repeat the process.
    • The milk is ready. Add coconut condensed milk and whisk until fully combined. Add oat milk, vanilla bean paste, pinch of cinnamon and give it a good mix.
    • Serve over ice and sprinkle with cinnamon before serving. Enjoy!

    Notes

    This drink would be good in the fridge for 2 days as it’s made with fresh nut milk. 
  • Carrot & Cucumber Raita (Indian Yogurt Dip)

    Carrot & Cucumber Raita (Indian Yogurt Dip)

    This dairy-free raita mixed with carrots and cucumbers is the most cooling and refreshing dip you can pair with spicy Indian dishes.

    This yogurt-based condiment is traditionally made with full-fat yogurt made from cow’s milk. I was always told that the cows in India were never mistreated when we were taking milk from them and it was okay to consume curd or yogurt because it’s so good for your body. And that’s how I always ended a meal with curd rice or always have raita on the side of spicy dish.

    From what I’ve read however, milk was an intrinsic part of Indian diet including consuming other forms of milk like buttermilk, ghee, curd and now cottage cheese. You can read more about the history of milk production in India here.

    The article also talks about the fact that just over 3 years ago, people in India have consumed more cows’ milk than any other country, and this is strange when your realise that 60% of Indians are lactose intolerant.

    I didn’t expect to find out this information while researching about raita but here we are: let’s choose vegan alternatives where we can. This refreshing raita dip is made with soy yogurt (I used Alpro, literally the best yogurt I’ve tried so far!) and finely chopped carrots and cucumbers.

    I also liked to add chopped mint and coriander for that herby and fragrant flavour. Not forgetting spices like cumin and garlic powder (you can also add a pinch of garam masala!)

    I also garnish it with some kashmiri chili powder for the vibrance but you don’t have to do this at all – this makes the raita perfect but sometimes we are just too lazy so we add some chopped vegetables and salt. BUT, I would recommend adding these herbs and spices if you have them because that’s what make raita very unique from similar dips like my Vegan Tzatziki.

    You can pair this with my Vegan Mushroom Dum Biryani for the perfect balance of flavours.

    Print Recipe

    Carrot & Cucumber Raita

    This dairy-free raita mixed with carrots and cucumbers is the most cooling and refreshing dip you can pair with spicy Indian dishes.
    Prep Time5 minutes
    Course: Condiment
    Cuisine: Indian
    Keyword: dips
    Servings: 4

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup soy yogurt
    • 1/3 cup chopped carrots
    • 1/3 cup chopped cucumbers
    • 1 tsp lime jucie
    • 1/4 tsp ground cumin
    • 1 tsp garlic powder
    • 2 tbsp chopped mint
    • 1 tbsp chopped coriander
    • 1/2 tsp salt add more if required
    • pinch kashmiri chili powder

    Instructions

    • Mix all the ingredients together. Garnish with kashmiri chili powder.